LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas -- Auburn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee is just fine after falling short of winning the Broyles Award.

After all, the winner of the award helped him secure a trip to the BCS National Championship.

Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi was named the winner of the award given to the nation's top assistant coach Tuesday.

Narduzzi's defense made a key stop to help knock off previously undefeated Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship on Saturday night. The Spartans' defensive stop on fourth-and-2 late in the fourth quarter kept the Spartans on top and they added a late touchdown to seal the 34-24 victory against the Buckeyes. Lashlee's wife, Lauren, even gave Narduzzi a big hug and thanked him for knocking off Ohio State during a Monday dinner in Little Rock.

Lashlee was one of five finalists for the award. The 30-year-old was also the youngest among the group and one of the fastest risers in college football to be considered for the award in its 18 years of existence. Lashlee is only in his third season as a full-time assistant coach after spending the 2010 national championship season at Auburn as a graduate assistant.

"There's obviously a lot of deserving people out there," Lashlee said. "I feel like we have eight guys on our staff that are just as deserving. It's been a fast ride but it's been good."

Lashlee has helped lead one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history in his third season as a full-time offensive coordinator. Lashlee will coach the Auburn offense in the BCS National Championship against No. 1 Florida State on Jan. 6.

Lashlee spoke highly of his former high school coaches during his introduction inside the Marriott in downtown Little Rock. He mentioned Gus Malzahn by name as a key contributor to his path as a coach, and also pointed to Chris Wood, who replaced Malzahn as his high school coach at Shiloh Christian in 2001.

Lashlee, who was a student assistant in 2006 under Malzahn at Arkansas, is a native Arkansan and grew up admiring Broyles, who served 50 years as either an athletics director or coach at Arkansas.

"It's an honor to be associated with you," Lashlee said.

"He's had a great career," Broyles said before the ceremony. "We're very proud of him."

Lashlee is the third Auburn assistant coach to be nominated for the Broyles Award. Malzahn (2010) and former coach Gene Chizik (2004) previously won the award as offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively.